For the second time within seven months a greater than 50-year storm affected the Delaware River Basin and its tributaries. In all, about 6,000 persons were evacuated along the Delaware and Passaic River Basins in New Jersey with about 3,200 homes damaged. New Jersey Acting Governor Richard J. Codey declared a state of emergency on April 3rd.  In Gloucester County, most of the problems occurred along tributaries to the Delaware River as the combination of the heavy rain and the impeded runoff because of the higher than normal Delaware River caused flooding.  Rain started late in the evening on the 1st and continued throughout the day on the 2nd. The rain fell at its heaviest during the afternoon of the 2nd. The rain tapered off to some spottier light rain or drizzle during the evening and overnight and ended during the morning on the 3rd. Storm totals averaged between 2 and 3 inches and included 2.85 inches in West Deptford. In Logan Township, U.S. Route 130 and a few other tidal related roads were closed. In Greenwich Township, several residents were evacuated after the Delaware River rose higher than the floodgates. In West Deptford Township, the Woodbury Creek flooded the Willow Trailer Park. Six families were evacuated. Tidal flooding problems persisted through the daytime high tide on the 4th. In addition to the Delaware River flooding, the Raccoon Creek also flooded. The Raccoon Creek at Swedesboro was above its 13 foot flood stage from 738 p.m. EST on the 2nd through 650 a.m. EDT on the 3rd. It crested at 13.77 feet at 1115 p.m. EST on the 2nd. On April 19th, President George W. Bush declared a major disaster area in Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Morris, Sussex and Warren Counties. This opened the door for federal aid for homeowners and businesses for federal aid. Persons could get grants for temporary housing and to clean and rebuild their homes. Homeowners and businesses were now eligible for low interest loans to cover uninsured property losses and other federally funded programs.The flooding heavy rain was caused by a low pressure system that moved from the southern Gulf Coast States on the morning of April 1st northeast to the eastern Tennessee Valley during the evening of the 1st, to far western Virginia just after Midnight EST on the 2nd, into central Virginia at 7 a.m. EST on the 2nd, near Washington, D.C. at 1 p.m. EST on the 2nd, near Lancaster, Pennsylvania at 7 p.m. EST on the 2nd, near Scranton, Pennsylvania at 1 a.m. EST on the 3rd, over the Finger Lakes in New York at 8 a.m. EDT on the 3rd and into eastern Lake Ontario at 2 p.m. EDT on the 3rd. The strong southeast flow preceding the low pressure system was able to entrain Atlantic Ocean moisture in addition to the Gulf of Mexico moisture into the system. The southeast flow also was ideal for orographic lifting in the Poconos and other higher terrain. The flooding was exacerbated by the already wet soil conditions due to heavy rain on both March 23rd and 28th. In addition, along the Delaware River, snowmelt in the upper basin in New York State and because the New York City Delaware County, New York reservoirs were already at capacity added to the tidal flooding problems at the lower part of the river.

Flood in GLOUCESTER, NEW JERSEY
From 02-APR-05 19:38:00 to 04-APR-05 15:00:00 (EST)
Property damage: 400K
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER